Nestled amidst the lush expanses of the Snoqualmie Valley resides photographer Ken Shipley, whose pictures are a vivid celebration of the Pacific Northwest’s untamed beauty.

Shipley’s love for photography started when he was young, growing up in San Diego in a makeshift darkroom engineered by his father. This space swiftly became Ken’s creative haven, starting a passion that would later be nurtured through his active roles in high school and college, earning a degree in journalism at SDSU.

Ken’s early professional journey into the world of local news post-college was marked by an unrewarding struggle for financial viability, ultimately compelling him to pursue more stable career avenues. However, his love for photography remained, and he later embraced the art form again, this time in the swiftly evolving digital era.

Says Ken, “When I first started with digital, I was a little arrogant. I thought, I know how to work a camera. Light is still light; glass is still glass; how different can it be? I was humbled pretty quickly and spent a lot of time alone during the pandemic trying to figure out the nuances of making a good raw file. A good negative was the key to a good image in the past. The raw file serves that same purpose today.”

Today, Ken’s engagement with photography is marked by an altruistic, almost philosophical aversion to commercialization. “I don’t really sell my work. I’m almost militantly against it. In my first go-round, having to make photography pay took all the fun out of it. At this point, it’s entirely a labor of love. Catch and release, like my old fly-fishing hobby.”

Shipley is also reluctant to give his work away. He feels like he’s taking money out of the hands of working artists. His work is freely shared, finding its home across social media platforms. His Instagram feed has become a digital gallery, offering a window into the landscapes and poignant moments that define the valley he calls home. Still, Ken says, “If there are community groups out here in the valley who need some photo work done, look me up. I’m all about community.” His contact information can be found at shipley-nw.com.

The choice for Ken and his family to lay down roots in the quaint town of North Bend was as much a stroke of fate as it was a financial decision. Says Ken of their move, “It was a total accident. My wife and I were living in Seattle, and we both got jobs on the east side. We went looking in Bellevue. Too expensive. Issaquah. Too expensive. We wandered into North Bend — my wife grew up in Auburn and went to 6th-grade camp at Camp Waskowitz, and she thought the bus had driven to South Dakota — and found a place in Cedar Village. A few years later, we settled in Old Si View. That picture (in our gallery) I included of Mt. Si was shot from our mailbox.” (Featured Image)

Drawn in by the affordability that eluded them in larger cities, they discovered a community rich in charm and familiarity. Once the Shipleys got settled, there was no thought of leaving. When they retired, they considered other places but said there was no place better than this. Says Ken, “We are North Benders.”

Ken takes most of his shots in the valley, but one of his favorite things is to pick a direction, drive for a couple of hours and see what’s there that day. He can get from the ocean to the plains with mountains, rivers, valleys, cities, towns, and all the gorgeousness in between. Ken has lived in the PNW for 35 years, and every day, he’s seen something that makes him gasp a little bit at the beauty. He says it makes picture-taking easy.

As retirement dovetailed with the solitude of the pandemic, Shipley found solace in his photography. His mission transcended personal enjoyment: it became about documenting and contributing to the valley community—a gesture of giving back to the place that had given him so much.

Framing Moments: Photography from the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts (KIA) will open at the Sordoni Art Gallery on Tuesday, Nov. 7, and run through Sunday, Feb. 4.

Framing Moments offers a distinct and inclusive overview of photography in the United States and beyond. Curated by Deborah Willis, the exhibit features selected gems from the KIA’s significant photography holdings. Works range from the mid-nineteenth century to the present and reveal how photographers can uniquely preserve moments, people and places. Expressly interested in highlighting the time in which these photographs were made and collected, Willis imagines the stories and events that encouraged KIA curators to acquire these images over the past 60 years.

This seminal exhibition includes nearly 100 photographs that juxtapose a diverse group of photographers who reveal everyday life across rural and urban communities, explore modern photographic aesthetics, document pivotal moments of social change and conflict, and present artists as both celebrities and ordinary people.

Art in Context Lecture

In connection with the exhibition, the Sordoni Art Gallery will host an Art in Context lecture, Kalamazoo: a Place, a River and Home, at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 9.

The Art in Context lecture will be presented by Mary Whalen, photographer and teaching artist at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts and the Education For the Arts program in the Kalamazoo Area Schools System.

Whalen’s photographic work is a testament to her ongoing evolution as a visual artist. This journey continually incorporates and expounds upon exploring techniques, some of which harken back to the 1800’s and the creation of photography. Through time, these techniques have been paired with new ideas and creative concepts that have added immense depth to her body of work. Whalen will discuss this evolution and body of work, which serves as a personal history of an artist, educator and member of her community and brings viewers into that life and place.

The lecture is free and open to the public with light refreshments to follow.

Framing Moments: Photography from the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts runs from Nov. 7 through Feb. 4.

The Sordoni Art Gallery is located in the Karambelas Media & Communication Center, 141 South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre.

Hours:

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays
Noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays
Closed Mondays and University holidays

For more information, visit wilkes.edu/sordoniartgallery.

When thinking of major motion pictures and Hollywood blockbusters, it is easy to think about just the movie itself — the final product that makes its way to silver screens worldwide. However, behind every hit movie are hundreds of people and the person capturing all of the hustle and bustle is a unit photographer.

Chiabella James is one such photographer who puts her immense talents to work on film sets worldwide. She has worked on a diverse range of films including King Richard, multiple Mission Impossible movies, Good Liar, The Mummy, Jack Reacher, and, recently, Dune.

James’ work on Dune is encapsulated in a new photography book, Dune Part One: The Photography, featuring hundreds of James’ photos from working on Dune including stunning landscapes and beautiful portraits of the film’s creators, actors, and the staff who make everything possible. The book is organized by filming location, including Wadi Rum, Jordan; Budapest, Hungary; Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; and Norway.

Growing Up Around Movies and Photography

The “James” surname has a rich history in unit stills photography. Chiabella’s father, David, is a highly accomplished unit stills photographer. He is a founding member and former president of the Society of Motion Picture Stills Photographers and a recipient of the 2011 SOC Lifetime Achievement Award in Stills Photography.

Chiabella spent significant time on jobs with her father as a child, which instilled in her not just an appreciation for photography and a passion for films but a deep understanding of the role that everyone plays in creating a movie. This appreciation for the role everyone plays and how much every single person matters, not just the stars, shows itself through Chiabella James’ work as a professional.

Embracing and Navigating Chaos

Spending so much time on movie sets also helped James acclimate to chaos, which benefits photographers of all kinds, although it is critical for a unit stills photographer.

James tells PetaPixel that sets are even more fast-paced now than when she was growing up and watching her dad work. Even in the last few years of her career, the continued transition to digital filmmaking has changed how she works.

“My father did the same job and gave me some enormous shoes to fill. But the pace of shooting on film versus digital these days is incredibly different. There was a built-in pause when you changed out a [film] mag. There was a delay to get the lighting to a certain level for shooting on film that doesn’t exist anymore. Now you can just hit roll, and we’re going, and you really do feel that on set,” James tells PetaPixel during a Zoom call.

The constant motion on set has made James’ task of capturing interesting behind-the-scenes moments more challenging. “Pausing to wait for those things to happen was a really great window for a still photographer to quietly sneak in and grab those moments and then get out,” she says. “Now you’re begging, scratching, and elbowing to try and get them. It has become quite manic.”

That said, James adds that Dune was the least manic of the recent film sets she’s worked on. “It was incredibly ‘zen,’” she says, smiling.

“Obviously, it was very busy and a lot of hard work; there was a lot going on, but the mentality toward the film’s creation was very zen. You were given time to do your job and do it properly. There was respect for it. It felt very old-school. As a result, you feel like you have the time to do your best, and the results are that much better.”

The Gear

Like any photographer, especially one who works in a chaotic environment like James, she has dialed in a workflow catered to her personal style and approach. As for camera gear, she keeps it very simple. She works with two cameras, one with a 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom and the other with a 70-200mm f/2.8.

“I call it my gun sling. I like to have my cameras on me at all times. I have a body on each shoulder. At any given moment, I’ve got the entire focal length range I need,” she says.

“I’m trying on set to be more like furniture, like something that is always there. That way, I don’t suddenly show up,” James says. “A lot of photographers pride themselves on being ninjas and being hidden. I don’t take that approach. I think if I’m always present, I’m actually less distracting.”

A Healthy and Productive Film Set Starts at the Top

James credits Dune’s director and co-writer, French-Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, for the wonderful experience working on set. Villeneuve has also directed Blade Runner 2049 and Sicario, among others, and has helmed Dune: Part Two, which is slated to hit theaters next March following a delay from this autumn.

James also highlights cinematographer Greig Fraser. His curriculum vitae is remarkable, having worked on The Batman, The Mandalorian, Rogue One, and nearly 50 other projects since 2000.

Villeneuve often works with the same heads of departments, including Fraser, across multiple projects, which James credits for a sense of camaraderie, cooperation, and security on set. “They are secure, talented, calm, giving, and good people,” James says.

James’ strong working relationship — and friendship — with Fraser pays dividends in her work. Fraser has a rich background in stills photography, a common theme among the world’s most talented cinematographers, so he and James regularly “talked shop” on set. There was a dialogue during the production.

Beyond mutual respect, Fraser also understood what James needed to do her job, and ensured that she had the opportunities required to capture the necessary images.

“Greig Fraser is a genius and bends natural light unlike anybody I’ve ever met before,” James says. “He’s really in touch with the light in Wadi Rum, Jordan,” James says. The harsh environment was one of the primary filming locations for Dune, and it posed challenges to the filmmakers and James alike.

Fraser relies heavily on natural light, so he uses a lot of reflectors and screens to control and bounce natural light on set. The resulting scenes are stunning, and, unsurprisingly, given Fraser’s background in still photography, they could stand up on their own as individual still frames.

“[Greig] walks around set with his camera, and he’s very in tune with stills and was a really big advocate for me as well. [Directors of photography] are usually where I get info to match my shooting, but we’re doing different things,” James explains.

“However, Greig was very interested in what I was doing, and so I was sharing imagery with him throughout. And again, he was very generous with me. Obviously, what I’m shooting on these sets, especially when I’m shooting the scene, is their art. I’m capturing the moments within it, but it’s their lighting, it’s their set, it’s their world that they’ve created that I get to be a guest in and just pull moments from. And that is its own art, and I don’t want to take away from that.”

The photographer also says that she thinks there were times when Fraser was testing her on set. “There was one moment where we stood on set one day and he’d just finished lighting and I was nearby. He asked, ‘What do you think?’ I said, ‘What? I don’t know, I’m just watching you. You’re the genius,’” James explains. “But the fact that he would even ask that question was amazing. I tell him, ‘I love this. But I don’t understand what you did there.’ So, he explains it. It was a really lovely collaboration.”

Finding Moments

Given that modern film creation is so fast-paced, James says that it was crucial that Fraser respected her work and made sure she had what she needed throughout production.

“I think that Greig’s respect for stills was really helpful. If I needed something, if there was a moment that I wanted to pull Timothée [Chalamet] or Rebecca [Ferguson] aside and get something that wasn’t in scene, I could do that,” James says.

Even though James agreed with PetaPixel’s assertion that it is almost always obvious when a director or cinematographer has a background in still photography, she believes that she could never do their job.

“My brain works in moments, and I’m really good at finding moments, but the idea of having to create a whole storyline that connects all the moments in motion, it just blows my mind,” James says. “That’s on a whole other level.”

She also says that it is rare to be on set and be able to work with people who do understand still photography.

“I’ll be on a set, and filmmakers will look at me and go, ‘Did you get great stuff of that scene?’ I’m thinking, ‘What do you think I got of that scene that works in a still.’ I’m still not quite sure what they think I’m going to get,” James laughs. “That happens a lot.”

“To work for people like Denis and Greg, who truly do understand still imagery and how different it is, it’s incredibly helpful to the job.”

That said, James emphasizes how critical it is to understand the overall, larger story that a movie is telling when finding those individual moments on set and crafting a photographic narrative. While each of her images could stand independently, they fit together as parts of a larger whole.

“Obviously, so many people have read Dune, so the movie is a bit different. But I have to approach it as though someone hasn’t read the books,” James says. She needs to capture moments of characters and places that fit the overall story of the movie and how each character develops throughout the larger narrative.

But of course, a significant challenge to doing this is that the film is not shot in order. A scene early in the production process may be from the final act of the movie, for example.

“I look for imagery of characters that I know lead us in certain directions. I have to understand the development of these characters to be able to know what to look for,” James explains. “I have to pick and choose my battles on set, though, because I don’t have complete, full access. For me, it’s picking and choosing the key moments that I can use. I don’t like to take photos just for the hell of it, [but] hat was really hard on Dune because everything is so beautiful.”

“My job requires an understanding of who the characters are, where they’re going, what their importance is, and how I want to show all that to an audience that doesn’t know all the details and being very selective in that,” James adds.

Storytelling and Art Versus Marketing

Given that Dune was shot in spectacular locations against beautiful backdrops and with actors dressed in intricate outfits, it can be a bit difficult to remember that, ultimately, Chiabella James has been hired to perform a specific job — helping movie studios sell a film.

Like all commercial photographers, she must always serve the client. That doesn’t mean that the results can’t be artistic and personally meaningful, but it does mean that there are specific images on set that James must execute.

“I rely on information from people in charge because there’s a thousand ways you could shoot any one thing. Even though I was raised in this kind of photography, everyone comes from different backgrounds. I was raised with unit stills, so the client has always. Been my first and foremost, just because that’s kind of what this niche is,” James explains.

“And it took me a long time to figure out my own style. On the other hand, I have colleagues whose history is photojournalism, so they come up with a journalistic style because that’s where they come from.”

“I sometimes find it difficult to know what people will want from me. I absolutely rely on the marketing team [for a movie] to figure out what their strategy is. The more I can get from them, the better. That information is key. But you don’t always get it.”

Chiabella James says that on Dune, while she was expected to get certain shots for marketing purposes, people were very receptive to her more artistic images and cultivated an environment of creativity. Unfortunately, not every film set is like this.

Developing a Unique Style When Your Dad is a Photographer

“I think rebelling against my dad has informed my style,” James explains.

However, she adds, “I take great pride these days when somebody looks at an image of mine and goes, ‘Wow, that’s a David James.’ That’s great. I love it because it doesn’t happen that often.

“He and I joke all the time that we had a little photo competition once, just on an iPhone, I think, and there was a leaf on the ground, a pretty autumn leaf. We both took a photograph of it. I like to off-center things, just maybe the quirkiness of my brain. I don’t see the world in balance. I like to throw things off into a little corner and leave a whole bunch of dead space,” James explains.

Her dad tried to do something similar with his composition, but he couldn’t do it. “He told me, ‘That’s your thing. That’s just not mine at all.’ It was just a funny moment we had. We come from a different headspace and different viewpoints, which when we’ve worked together in the past — we did four or five films together as a duo — it was really cool because we photographed the same scene and came away with very different imagery. This has also shown me that every photographer will take on any job differently.”

James says that if another photographer had shot Dune, the images would be different. “Yes, it’s going to be the same scenes and the same overall collection of images, but the angles and moments we look at, we see them differently.”

Celebrating Everyone on a Set

Chiabella James does this job not just because she’s good at it — although she is — and because it is how she makes her living, but because “this is home for me.” It is all she’s ever known. “I was raised by camera, grip, and electrical teams who allowed me, as a kid, to be around them. It’s my home, and they’re my family. They’re the reason I like going to work every day.”

Throughout Dune Part One: The Photography, this kinship that James feels with everyone on set is immediately evident. Of course, there are many photos of the film’s stars on location, in character, and as themselves, and there are photos of Villeneuve directing and Fraser setting the scene. There are photos of the people whose names are on movie posters, which James also shot.

But there are also photos of the people whose names even the film’s most ardent supporters and fans will never learn, but whose contributions and role in helping to create the final movie are no less vital.

“I think most photographers want to work in film because they love film,” says James. “Not that I don’t, but it wasn’t a motivating factor. This traveling circus is my family. And it probably affects how I photograph them. I love taking photographs of the crew and showing them at work and capturing those moments.”

A photo editor once told James that her behind-the-scenes photos were “very different” from any he had seen. “There’s a real affection for me towards what’s happening around me as opposed to just the film I’m photographing, even though that is the commercial priority,” James says.

James’ book, and her work at large, is a visual love letter to everything that happens on set and all the people who help make the movies so many people love.

“While we couldn’t make the movie without [the actors], you also can’t make the movie without the camera truck driver, for example. You can’t make a film what it is without all the moving parts that get you there. And I think everyone has their moments.”

Chiabella James is a professional photographer who works as a unit photographer on major motion pictures. She also does event photography and has been working on more personal projects lately due to the ongoing actor’s strike. Her work is available on her website and Instagram.

James’ new book, ‘Dune Part One: The Photography,’ is available from bookstores now. It includes a foreword by executive producer Tanya Lapointe, a preface by actor Rebecca Ferguson, and an afterword by Brian Herbert, the elder son of late and celebrated Dune author Frank Herbert. In Brian Herbert’s afterword, he immediately notes that while his father was best known for his incredible writing, he was also a professional photographer.

Image credits: All images © Chiabella James

One of the few women at the top of her field in book and magazine publishing, she was also a champion of her fellow professionals.

Audiences know Elton John as a renowned pianist and popular entertainer, but they may be surprised to learn that he is also the owner of an impressive photography collection. Over the past few decades, John and his husband, David Furnish, have amassed more than 7,000 photographs, 300 of which will go on display next spring at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A).

Titled “Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection,” the new exhibition will feature rare prints from prominent photographers, most of which have never been seen by the public. 

These works will “[showcase] some of the most beloved photographers and iconic images from within our collection,” say John and Furnish in a statement from the V&A.

John started collecting photography after recovering from alcohol and drug addiction in the 1990s, according to the Associated Press. He and Furnish first met in 1993, and the couple has since built one of the largest private collections of photography in the world.

The upcoming show isn’t the first exhibition of works from the British musician’s collection. In 2016, the Tate Modern staged “The Radical Eye: Modernist Photography From the Sir Elton John Collection,” which featured photography from the 1920s to the 1950s. In the audio guide for that show, John described photography as “the love of my life, in art terms. I love surrounding myself with them,” per CNN’s Nick Glass.

“Fragile Beauty” will be a continuation of “The Radical Eye,” focusing on photographs from the 1950s to the present day. Billed as the V&A’s “largest temporary exhibition of photography to date,” it will feature works from over 140 photographers, including Robert Mapplethorpe, Cindy Sherman, Diane Arbus, Sally Mann, Zanele Muholi and Ai Weiwei.

The show will be divided into eight thematic sections, such as fashion, reportage and celebrity. It will feature a number of portraits of famous actors and performers, including Marilyn Monroe, Miles Davis and Chet Baker. It will also showcase photographs capturing historical moments from the civil rights movement, the AIDS epidemic and the 9/11 attacks.

“We are delighted to be working with Sir Elton John and David Furnish to present highlights from their unparalleled collection: from the playful and surprising, to the contemplative and thoughtful,” says Duncan Forbes, the show’s curator, in the museum’s statement. “Whether through the elegance of fashion photography, the creativity of musicians and performers, the exploration of desire or the passage of history as captured by photojournalism, photography reveals something important about the world.”

“Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection” will be on view at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London from May 18, 2024 to January 5, 2025.

Ted Chin is a digital surrealist and photographer originally from Taiwan, now based in San Francisco, USA. He is widely recognized for his exquisite Photoshop composite art, which exudes a dreamy and surreal quality, occasionally touched with ethereal nature spirits.

“I am familiar with Ted’s work as he is well-known in the field of digital photomontage surrealism. Ted’s work is novel and innovative even in a cutting-edge art field. His ability to capture that intangible magical feel when creating his works gives him a unique and instantly recognizable style. When browsing the inspiration blogs I see his work and know it is him. One of his hallmarks is the way he scales animals. We can relate to animals in a photo, but the way he scales them creates something else entirely with an extra layer of magic to it,” says artist Erik Johansson.

With over eight years of expertise in digital production, Chin has catered to a wide array of international clients, including Grammy, Apple, Warner Bros, HBO, Meta, and Adobe, navigating the realms of fine art and the commercial industry. His exceptional talents were recently acknowledged when he was selected as the cover artist for the Adobe Photoshop 2021 splash screen.

“Ted’s accomplishments as a surrealist photo montage artist are a testament to his talents. Having his work featured on Adobe’s splash page is akin to winning a Grammy in the art world. Artists use Adobe every day and when they see the splash page, they pay attention to the artist. This recognition, bestowed by a tool used universally by artists, is a massive endorsement that signifies his position at the top of the food chain in the digital art realm,” offers artist Corentin Villemeur.

Chin’s boundless creativity is driven by a desire to capture and communicate the captivating wonder and beauty of the world, inspiring viewers with his imaginative artwork. Forbes sat down with artist Ted Chin to talk about his creative process, career and who he’d love to work with in the future.

Goldie Chan: What has been your favorite project to work on?

Ted Chin: One of My favorite projects that I’ve worked on was the splash screen cover for 2021 Adobe Photoshop – the Flamingo Cloud. It was a dream come true to have my artwork viewed by the whole world, and every single user that uses photoshop. There are many amazing fun projects that I worked on but this one will always be the most special one for me. It was the “I made it” moment. Still feels like a dream to me.

Chan: What has your career journey been?

Chin: Been challenging but exciting. I get work from different agencies and brand opportunities, but sometimes it’s not as stable as a 9-5 job. The first year was hard when I quit my first office job, but then I got to learn so much on my journey and got to work with many different brands and companies and met so many creative minds.

I have worked with brands like Adobe, Honda, Apple, Grammy, Puma, Redbull, Warner Bros and many more different brands including sports and tech to design creative advertising and social media campaigns.

Chan: Describe your personal brand.

Chin: I’m a digital artist that focuses on creating surreal fantasy art and graphic design. Beside making fine art, I also help brands to make designs, and use storytelling to communicate a message or promote a service or product.

Chan: What do you love about surrealist art or surrealism?

Chin: It allows me to day dream and explore my mind.

As a child, storytelling always ignited a spark within me. When I was in graduate school, I struggled with limited resources and time, preventing me from exploring the world as much as I desired. The idea of traveling to new places, discovering unfamiliar cultures, and sharing stories remained a dream for me.

I realized that I could bring my tales to life through the art of photography and Photoshop, leveraging my imagination and skills to create surrealistic visual narratives that could transport viewers to other worlds. And thus, “Ted’s Little Dream,” a lifelong project, was born. By fusing my passion for storytelling with my love for photography and digital art, I strive to capture the essence of my dreams and share them with the world.

Chan: Which brand or person would you love to work with?

Chin: I would love to work with galleries like Avant Arte, Spoke Art or Pace Gallery, or explore opportunities to create installation art and sculptures. I want to break the 2D world and bring my art into real life scale and invite more audience to dream with me.

Chan: What are you working on now?

Chin: Currently working on live streaming art, education, and exploring of Ai technology. I have few exciting opportunities and gallery shows coming in 2024 and I look forward to it.

Chan: Who do you admire?

Chin: Artist Erik Johansson, I got to meet him and become friends 2 years ago, and I hope I will become a successful international well known artist, and get to show my art in actual museums one day.

Chan: Any career advice for this year?

Chin: Don’t be shy to try new technology and learn different ways to show your art. It is important to focus on your craft and become a better scholar and artist, but it is also important to find a way to let your voice heard by others.

My approach to photography is quite minimal, as I am a firm believer in the saying “less is more”. I don’t like clutter in my everyday life and this translates into my photography, whether it’s the composition, lighting or tonality. 

I work mostly in black and white and am a total “monochromantic”. Color is beautiful, and I would not be able to envision a colorless life, but the surreal nature of black and white, the stripping away of colorful distractions, leaves you with the essentials – and that, for me, is magical.

Although I do enjoy photographing landscapes and street, my principal pull has always been towards buildings, their interiors and structures. Depending on the story I want to convey, I sometimes include a silhouetted person in the scene – to demonstrate scale or illustrate how we interact with the structure. 

Now we all agree that it’s not the camera or the equipment that makes for a good picture, although a good camera and quality lenses definitely do help in creating quality images. I started with a Canon EOS 600D, a second-hand Tokina 12-24mm lens and an entry-level tripod. Speaking of tripods, I am married to mine but at the same time, I find it important to free yourself from it, enabling greater freedom in exploring different angles. What I usually do is get the tripod shots done and then wander around the building, camera in hand.

To get the detail in the shadows and avoid harsh contrasts between light and shadow, I usually take a couple of exposures and slightly increase my ISO. My post-production is all about layering and blending the different exposures, extracting the maximum from each exposure. The process begins in color, as good colors are essential for excellent black-and-white results. I am always watching out for detailed shadows, strong blacks, bright crisp whites and no clipping at either end of the spectrum.

Over time, I have been fortunate enough to upgrade my equipment, adapt to new tech and improve my post-production workflow, but one thing has never changed and that’s the desire to get the perfect picture – I think it’s what gets us photographers out of bed on those very early mornings.

Mario Tarantino

Drawing inspiration from surrealist painters, Mario Tarantino is committed to creating images with a monochromatic aesthetic. His work has been recognized with multiple awards. 

Take a look at the best cameras for black and white photography to really focus on mono imagery. Or try one of the best film cameras with some black-and 35mm film!

“October Surprise,” a photography exhibition by the Redwood Camera Club, is on display through Nov. 10 at the Redwood Art Association Gallery, located upstairs at 605 F St. in Eureka. An Arts Alive! reception is set for Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m.

“Each year we rent all the upstairs galleries to give our members a place to show their very best work, without the restrictions of any particular theme,” said Sharon Falk-Carlsen, president of the 33-year-old club.

“I like the freedom to bring my best work in any format or any process,” said club member Stephen Kamelgarn.

“The smaller galleries give art lovers a more intimate experience in being surrounded by the art and getting the full impact of the photos,” said another member, Stilson Snow.

“The smaller galleries upstairs are often overlooked during themed shows in the main gallery,” said club member Jon Exley, “so having a cohesive show that uses all of them leads viewers through the whole labyrinth and get a really rich experience.”

Redwood Camera Club participants for this show are Thomas Bethune, Pam Cone, Jon Exley, Sharon Falk-Carlsen, Stephen Kamelgarn, Jeff McCalley, Diana Minton, Alison Pritchard and Stilson Snow

The Redwood Art Association Gallery is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.